


Broken Little Birds

by cursedtobeshortforever



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Gen Work, Hurt/Comfort, I'm very evil, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Tim deserves all the hugs in the world, Why do I do this to myself, gen - Freeform, you will hate me for this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:02:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22954525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cursedtobeshortforever/pseuds/cursedtobeshortforever
Summary: It was a rainy night in Gotham City, which means it was an average night in Gotham City. The streets were quiet, no big explosion happened, no big hostage situation occurred, and Tim was more than ready to call it an early night. That is until an unwanted presence made an entrance."So the new bird just finished a long night?" asked Jason in a mocking tone.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Comments: 8
Kudos: 180





	Broken Little Birds

**Author's Note:**

> this can be very triggering for people who suffered abuse (it made my beta reader cry) so please read this with caution!

It was a rainy night in Gotham City, which means it was an average night in Gotham City. The streets were quiet, no big explosion happened, no big hostage situation occurred, and Tim was more than ready to call it an early night. That is until an unwanted presence made an entrance.

"So the new bird just finished a long night?" asked Jason in a mocking tone, sounding cynical and angry, like he was having a rougher night than usual, and Tim send silent prayers that Jason wasn't going to take it out on him.

"Following daddy's orders like the good soldier that you are?" asked Jason, Tim's prayers going unheard (much to his dismay), "going around Gotham, helping the needy and making sure everything is all sugar, spice, and everything nice?"

"Leave me alone Jason, just because you had a crappy night doesn't mean mine has to go to shit as well," said Tim, his annoyance growing by the minute.

Jason let out a gasp, his expression somehow more dramatic then his gasp. "Saying our real names in the middle of the public? Bruce would be ashamed of you little bird".

"We are talking on top of a rooftop in the middle of the rain," said Tim, "any smart civilian is hiding from it at home with a warm cup of tea in their hands, not that you were ever smart."

Jason let out a giant grin. "Well, look at that! Our little detective has a little spark in him after all!"

"Continue to bother me, and you'll see more than just a spark," said Tim, not bothering to hide his irritation anymore. 

Jason let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, so now that you're Robin, you suddenly became mister tough guy?" He asked harshly, and Tim couldn't help but feel he just started something terrible. "Listen here, you little shit, you will never be Dick or me, you will always be your scared little self."

"I know that-" Tim tried to say only to get cut off by Jason. "No, buts! Do you think that wearing this symbol will make you Robin? You will never be a real Robin. Not then, not now and not ever". 

"Jason-," Tim tries to start again, his chest feeling heavy and tight.

"Listen to me," Jason said with malice, "you are nothing but a replacement. You are here to replace me, my role in the family, and to be Bruce's pawn and submissive little sidekick!", Jason's voice started to rise "If I never died, do you think that he would have given a shit about you-!"

"You think I don't know that?!" screamed Tim, "You think I don't know any of this? Do you believe that I live in this bubble where I think everyone wants me for my self?! I KNOW THAT I'M A REPLACEMENT! I KNOW WITHOUT MY BRAINS BRUCE WOUNDN'T LOOK TWICE IN MY DIRECTION! I KNOW HOW REPLACEABLE I AM, HOW WORTHLESS AND HOW FORGETTABLE I AM-

"Wait, I didn't mean-," Jason tried to explain.

"WHAT KIND OF MORON DO YOU THINK I AM?" Tim continues to say, unable to stop himself, it felt too good to stop, "I KNOW HOW I'M A PAWN, HOW HE ONLY WANTS ME FOR MY USEFULNESS AND HOW EASY IS TO FORGET ABOUT ME!"

"I never said you're forgettable-, "Jason tries to calm him down.

"WHEN I WAS SEARCHING FOR BRUCE DO YOU KNOW WHO TRIED TO LOOK FOR ME? NO ONE! AND DO YOU, ANYONE, FROM GOTHAM LOOKING FOR ME? THEY WERE PROBABLY HAPPY THAT I WAS NO LONGER IN THEIR HAIR! NO LONGER HAVING TO WATCH OVER LITTLE SLEEPY TIMMY WHO IS ONLY HERE FOR NAP TIME!

"Tim, please, that's what I meant-," Jason says.

"EVEN MY PARENTS KNOW HOW REPLACEABLE I AM," Tim says, completely red-faced and happy that the painful weight on his chest is disappearing, "WHY ELSE DO YOU THINK MY FATHER REMARRIED SO FAST? SO HE COULD HAVE A SON TO LOVE, WHO WOULDN'T ANNOY AND CAN MAKE HIM PROUD AND HAPPY, TO BE HIS PRIDE AND JOY, SO DON'T YOU THINK FOR A SECOND THAT I'M IGNORANT ABOUT ME SITUATION BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE AWAY, MY INTELLECT I'LL BE NOTHING. I CAN'T BE NOTHING AGAIN and, I CAN'T, I can't, I can't..." Tim finished his rant, suddenly feeling exhausted but light, his tears ready to break out, but he can't let, he won't give Jason that satisfaction.

..."I'm sorry.", Jason said after a small silence.

"You're what?" Tim asked, unsure if he heard him right.

"I'm sorry," Jason said again, "I should have known you're life wasn't all sunshine and flowers. Bruce only takes under the birds with the most broken wings."

Tim can't remember the last time someone, anyone, apologized to him. Suddenly it became hard to breathe; the rain was too loud to focus on anything else, and Tim dropped to his knees. Everything became too much; the rain, the city lights, the stress, the pain in his throat. 

Tim felt like he needed to scream, so he screamed and cried so loudly you would think he just witnessed the murder of his parents. 

Tim was so focused on his screams; he didn't even notice Jason kneeling over him, shielding him from the rain, and trying to come up with a plan of how to fix this mess he made of his little brother.


End file.
